After proving that “DDWFTTW” (Directly Downwind Faster Than The Wind) travel is possible, Rick and John decided to build a kart that moves upwind faster than the wind. Again, they succeeded! Yesterday, Rick announced: “The record is official. NALSA (North American Land Sailing Association) has ratified the upwind record at 2.1X wind speed. CNN aired this segment on our wind powered cart. Nice segment, but it seems they forgot to mention that the vehicle was designed to go directly upwind (at about 2X wind speed) and directly downwind (at about 3X wind speed).”

Does anyone have a link to a description on the physics of this thing? there are links to how to build your own and to demonstration videos, but I mean something where someone with math and free body diagrams explains how this works?

balloonatic

You know that thought experiment where you leave monkeys in a room with typewriters for a length of time? I think that’s how the script for the presenters was produced. I hope any monkeys reading this are not offended.

Rick Cavallaro

> “You know that thought experiment where you leave monkeys in a room with typewriters for a length of time? I think that’s how the script for the presenters was produced.”

I can see how it would appear that way to a monkey. For someone that can follow basic physics and logic it will make perfect sense.

When I’m wrong I like to beat my detractors to the punch. Perhaps the most surprising thing I learned through this project is just how hard some people find it to admit a mistake. But it’s not painful at all. I wish they’d try it.

Nick

That’s some really interesting engineering, and some really disheartening reporting.